


I'm Still Breathing

by LadyPsycho



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: Alternate Universe - Different Mastermind (Dangan Ronpa), Alternate Universe - Talentswap (Dangan Ronpa), Because why the hell not?, Canon-Typical Violence, Iruma Miu's Dirty Mouth, Kiibo's still a robot, Multi, New Dangan Ronpa V3 Spoilers, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Super Dangan Ronpa 2 Spoilers, Talentswap
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-17
Updated: 2018-04-11
Packaged: 2019-03-08 20:15:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,048
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13465743
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyPsycho/pseuds/LadyPsycho
Summary: Tenko Chabashira, the Ultimate Team Manager, was excited to attend Hope's Peak Academy. Instead, she finds herself stuck on an island with fifteen other Ultimate students and being told she has to kill to escape.The threat of death hangs over everyone, but Tenko's not too worried.She's going to survive. She's going to protect everyone (mostly the girls but who cares about the details)She isn't afraid of death. She's not.At least that what she keeps telling herself.NDRV3 kids with SDR2 talents and setting with elements from NDRV3,  DR1 and the anime, but really just 2 and V3 mixed together.





	1. Prologue Part I

**Author's Note:**

> Label's on the tin really.  
> Just Super Danganronpa 2 mixed with New Danganronpa V3.  
> With Protagonist!Tenko.  
> Of course the POV will shift to other characters, but it'll be focused on Tenko for the most part.  
> Enjoy!

Hope's Peak Academy.

Tenko grinned as she stared up at the massive building.

All kinds of emotions swirled inside her.

Mostly excitement.

Then again, who wouldn't be excited if they were in her shoes? To be recognized for their talent and accepted into the top high school in the country, if not the world. She'd be attending classes with the best of the best, studying with other Ultimate Athletes.

Which meant that he's be able to hone her talent by helping them hone theirs.

Hopefully, they'll all be girls. There were enough degenerate males in sports.

If there were any male athletes, then...well...Tenko _might_ train them, but only after they have earned her respect by proving their dedication to whatever sport they play.

And that, Tenko will admit, was a rigorous exercise in itself.

As she continued to think about the near future, Tenko's excitement began to slowly give way to nervousness.

 _'Am I dressed to informally?'_ was her first thought.

She looked down at herself.

She wore a light green cropped tank top under a light blue track jacket with white stripes and matching shorts, long white socks and her favorite waraji sandals. A silver whistle hung from her neck by a pink cord, and a fresh white towel hung from her back pocket.

_'The acceptance letter said I could show up in anything comfortable, but the forums online suggested showing up in your old school uniform. Maybe I should'be done that._

_Ugh, what if everyone else is in uniform? I'll be the outcast. I don't care what any males think, but I don't want to make the wrong first impression with the girls.'_

Anxiety slowly began to take hold, only for Tenko to force it down with a deep breath and a battle cry.

“Oh, who cares about that?! I’m **Tenko Chabashira** , **Ultimate Team Manager**! I have no intention of hiding who I am, and any male who has a problem with that will taste my fists!” She declared at the top of her lungs.

Confidence restored, Tenko grinning as she marched past the gates of Hope’s Peak Academy.

And the second she did, her vision completely shifted.

_‘Huh?’_

Tenko could only watch as everything blurred and merged into a mess of lights and colors that left her feeling sick and confused.

_‘What’s happening?’_

That was the last coherent through that passed through Tenko Chabashira’s mind before the darkness took over.

* * *

 

…

...

...

...

...

...

“Hey!”

…

…

...

“Hey!”

_‘A voice…’_

...

“Hey, can you hear me?”

_‘Someone’s calling me…’_

That was the first coherent thought that entered Tenko’s mind as the darkness that had consumed her slowly faded away.

She felt a pressure on her back, and the warmth of sunlight on her face.

There were a pair of hands on her shoulders, gently shaking her.

_‘I’m lying down...Ah, I must’ve passed out...but why?_

_Ugh...I feel sore._

_How long was I out?’_

A groan escaped her lips, and the person shaking her responded with another call.

“Come on, wake up!”

Their voice sounded awfully deep, Tenko noticed. Gravelly, too. And their hands felt big and rough on her shoulders. Huh, they must be a--

**_MALE_ **

All of Tenko’s lingering drowsiness instantly disappeared as her eyes snapped open. Sure enough, kneeling down next to her downed form was a man with spiky purple hair and a goatee with eyes of a similar color. He smiled at her as he withdrew his hands.

“Oh, good. You’re awake. I was starting to get wor-”

“Degenerate male!”

Before the man could even react, Tenko bolted up and punch him square in the jaw, sending him flying.

“Trying to take advantage of me huh, you degenerate?” She glared at him as she stood up, quickly shaking off any dizziness or soreness.

“And in broad daylight, no less! Have you no shame? Typical degenerate male, assaulting a defenseless girl right in the middle of--”

Tenko cut her rant short when she took the moment to look around.

...

_‘What?’_

As she took in the sight around her, several thoughts ran through her head, one right after the other.

_‘How did-’_

_‘I know I passed out but-’_

_‘Did I have another-’_

_‘-No, I would’ve felt it-’_

_‘-I’d still be feeling it-’_

_‘So why-?’_

_‘Why did I suddenly pass out like that?’_

_‘And how the hell did I end up_ **_on a beach_ ** _?!’_

Shining sun

Sparkling ocean

Warm sand

No doubt about it, Tenko was on a beach.

She had been walking into the top school in the country.

Only to pass out and wake up _on a beach._

Tenko could only stare, eyes wide and jaw slack.

_What the hell?_

“Hey, what the hell was that for?”

It was then did Tenko snap out of her shock and remember the degenerate she had just punched.  
He had stood up, allowing Tenko to get a better look at him.

He wore a pair of purple scrubs under a white lab coat, which he, for some reason, only wore on the left sleeve. The right side was left draped over his shoulder. Various medical tools were visible in his shirt pocket, and a stethoscope hung around his neck.

“I was just trying to wake you up.” he said, rubbing his jaw.

Tenko sneered. “Hmph. Yeah right. More like trying to cop a feel while I was asleep.”

“What?! I would never do something like that! What kind of man would I be if I did?”

...

“Is that supposed to be a trick question?”

“I’m telling the truth, really! I saw you passed out over here and wanted to make sure you were okay.” he said.

Tenko furrowed her brow. He didn’t seem to be lying, but she knew better than to trust the word of a _male_ so soon.

“And where exactly is here?” she questioned.

He shrugged. “I don’t really know. I actually just woke up myself...It’s weird. The last thing I remember, I was walking into Hope’s Peak Academy. Next thing I know, I’m waking up here.”

“Wait, did you say Hope’s Peak Academy?” Tenko asked, eyes widening.

“Huh? Yeah, why?”

“The same thing happened to me! I was walking past the gates, then nothing.”

“Really, so, wait, does that mean you’re an Ultimate too?”

Tenko couldn’t help but smirk and cross her arms confidently as she introduced herself.

“Oh yes, I’m **Tenko Chabashira** , the **Ultimate Team Manager**. I’ve coached several teams and athletes and helped them reach their full potential. I usually work with women, but even a degenerate male can become a respectable champion with proper training.”

“Wow, that’s pretty cool.” he said, “Guess I should introduce myself too.”

The man grinned and slammed his fists together.

“Nice to meet you, Tenko. I’m **Kaito Momota** , the **Ultimate Nurse** . There’s no such thing as untreatable when you’re with the **Luminary of Medicine**!” he declared.

...

“...So you’re a nurse?”

“H-Hey, don’t look at me like that! There’s nothing wrong with a guy wanting to be a nurse! Nurses can be manly too!”

Tenko stared at the indignant Kaito before sighing and muttering another ‘typical degenerate male’ under her breath.

Kaito began to explain his talent, mentioning how he has worked in the best hospitals and how his goal is reach the top of the medical field, but Tenko decided to ignore him in favor of giving the area a more thorough look over.

Sand and water as far as the eye can see. There were a few palm trees scattered about, with the one closest to them having what appeared to be a TV monitor and a speaker mounted on the trunk for some reason.

“Where are we…?” She mumbled.

“You don’t think we’re the only ones here, do you?” Kaito asked, the fear making itself visible in his eyes.

“God, I hope not.” Tenko muttered, refusing to look at him.

 _‘I’d rather die than be stuck here with a_ **_male_ ** _.’_

“Hey, you two!” A feminine voice called out.

_‘Oh, thank God’_

The two Ultimates turned to see two other teens quickly approaching them.

One was a girl with long blond hair held by plain silver clips and violet eyes. She wore a long sleeved black shirt under a pink vest and orange necktie, paired with a plaid purple skirt, a white backpack, and long, dark purple knee socks.

The other was a thin boy with short black hair and pale grey eyes hidden by a black baseball cap. He wore a black, pinstripe double-breasted gakuran jacket and matching pants, his white shirt collar barely visible underneath the jacket.

“Thank god, I thought we were the only ones here.” The blonde girl said.

“Funny, I was just thinking the same thing myself.” Tenko replied, smiling at the cute girl in a way she hoped was friendly.

To her credit, the blonde giggled, which Tenko counted as a victory.

“I’m **Kaede Akamatsu** , by the way, and this is-” she gestured to the boy.

“Oh, I’m **Shuichi Saihara**.” he said, nervously adjusting his hat.

“Nice to meet you, Kaede, I’m Tenko Chabashira, Ultimate Team Manager.”

“And I’m Kaito Momota, the Ultimate Nurse.”

“Wait, you have Ultimate talents too?” Kaede asked.

“You too?”

Shuichi looked away and lowered the bill of his cap.

“Well, I wouldn’t call it a talent. I just happened to win a lottery held by Hope’s Peak and was allowed to enroll as the **Ultimate Lucky Student**.”

“What about you, Kaede? What’s your Ultimate talent?” Tenko asked, ignoring the boys.

Kaede blinked. “Oh, I’m the Ultimate--”

She suddenly froze.

“The Ultimate...I’m the Ultimate...I’m the...the...I-I…” she stuttered, staring off into space.

“...Kaede, are you okay?” Tenko asked, reaching out to touch her shoulder.

“I...I can’t remember.” Kaede whispered.

“Huh?”

Kaede looked up, fear and confusion evident in her eyes.

"I can’t remember my Ultimate talent. I-I know I have one. I know I was accepted into Hope’s Peak. I just...can’t remember…” she trailed off, one hand pressed to her forehead.

The other three shared a glance before turning back to stare at her. She must’ve noticed their concern, for she was quick to throw on a smile and let out a chuckle.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I know it must sound ridiculous.” she said, smiling awkwardly.

“No, that’s wrong!” Tenko declared suddenly, firmly grasping Kaede’s shoulders.

“It's not ridiculous. Amnesia is a serious issue.” she said.

“She’s right,” Kaito said, “It could be a sign of something serious. Here. why don’t I give you a quick check up? You know, make sure you’re not concussed or anything.”

He reached out to Kaede, only for Tenko to slap his hand away.

“ _I’ll_ check. I’ve seen plenty of head injuries in my line of work, and I can diagnose them just as well as any male can. Besides, I’m sure Kaede will feel more comfortable with a girl examining her than a degenerate male such as yourself.”

“Degenerate male?” Shuichi muttered to himself, the sound being drowned out by Kaito’s indignant “Hey!”

“No, its okay, Tenko. I don’t mind if Kaito checks. He is the Ultimate Nurse, so there should be nothing to worry about.” Kaede said, gently peeling Tenko’s hands off her shoulders.

Tenko huffed and stepped back, allowing Kaito to go through with his examination.

He checked Kaede’s scalp for any bumps or cuts, then checked the movement and dilation of her eyes.

During the whole process, Tenko and Shuichi discovered that all their phones had been replaced with small, smartphone-like devices labeled e-Handbooks. Each one displayed their owner’s name and talent when turned on before opening to a menu of apps, most of which were greyed out and unavailable. The only two apps that they could access was a map, which showed that they were apparently on an island with several buildings, and a report card, which displayed the student I.D.s and basic information of everyone they had talked to so far (Which at the moment consisted of only the four of them).

“There are sixteen tabs, including ours, which means that there’s probably sixteen of us here.” Shuichi suggested, “We were probably scattered around this entire place.”

“Wow, I didn’t even realize that. You're pretty smart, Shuichi.” Kaede smiled at him.

Shuichi blushed and lowered his hat, mumbling how it was nothing.

Eventually, Kaito pulled away and crossed his arms.

“Well,” he sighed, “You don’t seem to be concussed or anything. It must’ve been the shock of the situation that made you forget.”

“I see…” Kaede looked down, frowning.

“Hey, don’t worry, Kaede.” Tenko placed a hand on her shoulder.

“I’m sure you’ll remember, and you know I’ll do whatever I can to help.” She said, grinning and pumping a fist.

“Yeah, same here!” Kaito beamed. Shuichi simply nodded in agreement, lifting his hat and smiling.

Seeing all three smile at her, Kaede couldn’t help but do the same.

“Thanks, you guys. Yeah, you’re right. I’m probably just confused. I’ll remember it soon enough.”

With each word, her confidence slowly returned to her. “Besides, we have more important things to worry about.”

“Yeah, like why we’re on a goddamn island and not Hope’s Peak.” Kaito said, running his fingers through his hair.

Tenko turned to Kaede, “Why don’t we explore the island together? We can check out all the places on the map and meet the others.”

“Great idea, Tenko! We’ll all check this place out together. The more the merrier!” Kaito grinned, slamming his fists together.

Tenko turned to the nurse, her smile shifting to a sneer.

“I was talking to Kaede _only_. You degenerate males can go explore on your own.”

Kaito flinched, “Woah, Tenko, what’s up with your face?!”

“You know, I’ve been meaning to ask about that ‘degenerate males’ thing.” Shuichi said, placing his thumb and forefinger to his chin.

“Tenko, do you have problems with men or something?” Kaede asked.

“What gave you that idea?”

“Woah, it just got worse!”

-To be Continued-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Students so far:  
> Tenko Chabashira: Ultimate Team Manager  
> Kaito Momota: Ultimate Nurse  
> Shuichi Saihara: Ultimate Lucky Student  
> Kaede Akamatsu: ???  
> Comments and constructive criticism are welcome. This is my first real story, so any advice is definitely welcome.


	2. Prologue Part II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kaede and Tenko explore more of the island and meet some more Ultimates.  
> That's really what the next few chapters are gonna be about really.

It took a while, but Kaito eventually agreed to Tenko’s terms of splitting up. Kaede led them off the beach and to a simple dirt path she had been near when she had woken up.

According to the map, all of the buildings were arranged in a circle, and were all connected to that one path.

Kaito threw an arm around Shuichi and led the shy boy down one end of the path, quickly striking up conversation while Kaede and Tenko went down the other end.

The first place the girls came across was an airport, oddly enough. It was decently sized for one, and void of any people. In the main lobby was a large window displaying all of the various airplanes, all lined up in neat rows.

“Maybe we can use one of these to escape?” Tenko suggested.

“We’d need to find someone who could pilot it though.” Kaede pointed out.

“Even if we did, we still wouldn’t be able to use them.” A deep voice said.

Approaching the two was a very, _very_ short man wearing a black jumpsuit and navy blue undershirt. His light brown buzzcut was covered with a black beanie with the image of an intersecting screwdriver and wrench printed on it in the same blue as his shirt.

Kaede gave him a friendly smile as he came up to them, not noticing Tenko slowly moving in front of her almost protectively.

“I was checking those planes out earlier, and all of them have had their engines completely removed.” The man explained, fiddling with a candy cigarette between his fingers.

“A-All of them?” Tenko gasped.

“Yep. If they were broken, I could’ve just fixed them, but it seems these planes are just for show. Whoever put us here must have a lot of power to do something like this, which means that if you think escape will be that easy, you still got a ways to go. The name’s **Ryoma Hoshi** by the way. I’m known as the **Ultimate Mechanic**.”

The girls introduced themselves, with Kaede briefly explained her situation to Ryoma, who accepted it and offered some vaguely supportive words before they returned to the subject of escape.

“Well, if an Ultimate Mechanic like you says that the planes are useless, I guess there’s nothing we can do about it,” Kaede frowned, “But I’m sure there’s a way off. As long as we work together, we can figure something out.”

Tenko smiled at Kaede’s positivity, while Ryoma chuckled.

“Well, you sure are optimistic. Not a bad trait to have, though.” he said

“Still, why would all the engines be removed. Sabotaged I can get, but completely removed?”

“As I said, if they were just damaged, I could’ve fixed them. Whoever put us here doesn’t want us leaving anytime soon. Well, at least with the store and hotel we won’t have to fend for ourselves.” Ryoma said.

“Yeah, we still need to check those places out.” Kaede said.

“I see, well, don’t let a guy like me get in your way. Aside from the planes, there’s nothing here really worth seeing.”

“Yeah, I can tell.” Kaede chuckled.

* * *

Just down the road from the airport was a large store labelled the Rocketpunch Market.

It was a pretty big store, with several aisles displaying a variety of items ranging from surfboards to giant coke bottles to even military goods. And just like the airport, it was completely empty.

Kaede and Tenko were so busy checking everything out that they didn’t even notice the girl standing in the middle of one of the aisles until Kaede ended up bumping into her.

“Oh, I’m so sorry.” she said, bowing.

…

...

After a moment without response, Kaede slowly looked up.

The girl she had bumped into had long blue hair and matching eyes behind a pair of glasses. She wore a black blazer over a white shirt and orange bow with a long, black, pleated skirt with a set of buttons added to the waist.

The girl was standing perfectly still, staring off into space with a finger in the air in apparent contemplation.

…

...

“Um, hello?” Tenko asked.

…

...

“Hey! You!” Kaede called out.

…

The two shared a glance.

“Maybe she’s just a mannequin? A really realistic mannequin...?” Kaede shrugged.

“I don’t know. I could’ve sworn I saw her blink.” Tenko said, “Hold on, I have an idea.”

Tenko slowly approached the silent girl, grabbing the whistle hanging from her neck. She gave it a quick wipe on her shirt, just to make sure it was clean, then raised it to her lips. She sucked in a breath and--

“I’d rather you didn’t do that.”

Both Tenko and Kaede jumped in shock.

The formerly silent girl turned to them and smiled.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you. I was just so lost in thought that I didn’t notice you at first. After that, I was just plain hoping that if I ignored you, you would go away.” she explained.

“Geez, isn’t that a little rude?” Kaede frowned.

“Maybe, but so is trying to talk to someone who doesn’t want to talk, but whatever, I feel like talking now.”

The girl suddenly beamed awfully brightly at them.

“So what do you want to talk about? How about your favorite Ghibli film? Mine is--”

“Why don’t we just start with introductions? I’m Tenko Chabashira, Ultimate Team Manager.”

“And I’m Kaede Akamatsu.”

“Oh, of course. I’m **Tsumugi Shirogane** , the **Ultimate Animator**. I know, it’s weird that someone as plain as me has an Ultimate talent.”

“So you’re an animator?” Tenko asked, deciding to ignore the ‘plain’ comment.

“Mh-mm. I spent my childhood watching every kind of anime there is. Eventually, I fell so in love with anime that I started drawing my own. Before I knew it, I had studio after studio lining up trying to hire me.”

Tsumugi pressed a palm to her face.

“Oh, I’m sorry, even my backstory is just plain for an Ultimate.”

“Oh, it's okay. At least you remember yours.” Kaede chuckled.

“Huh?”

Kaede briefly explained her situation to Tsumugi, who merely blinked.

“The amnesia trope, huh? It’s a little played out nowadays, but the reveal is always satisfying, even plain exciting if played right.”

She smiled brightly at Kaede. “I look forward to seeing your big reveal, Kaede.”

“U-um, thanks?”

Tsumugi talked with them a little more before leaving to explore the rest of the island on her own. A little while later, Kaede and Tenko decided to leave as well. They had been about to walk out the door when a girl with crimson eyes and brown hair tied into twintails with red scrunchies walked in.

She wore a black, pinstripe skirt suit with a red shirt and black necktie, paired with red stockings.

“Oh, hi. Are you another--”

The girl cut Kaede off.

“ **Maki Harukawa** , **Ultimate Yakuza**.” she said, walking right past them.

“Don’t you want to know-”

“Nope.”

Tenko frowned. Of course she’d expect this kind of rude behavior from a male, but for a girl to just brush them off so coldly.

But right as she had been about to call Maki out--

“Tenko, wait.” Kaede said, a hand on the coach’s shoulder. There was an odd look of fear in the amnesiac’s eyes.

“If she’s really who she says she is, then you don’t want to mess with her.”

“Huh? Do you know her, Kaede?”

“You...you don’t know?” Kaede gasped, “The Harukawa clan is the biggest crime syndicate in the nation. They have a hand in it all: Guns, money, prostitutes, drugs, you name it, and the current heiress is said to be absolutely ruthless and won’t hesitate to kill anyone who gets in her way.”

It took a second for realization to set in, but when it did, it sent a chill down Tenko’s spine.

She glanced at Maki, who seemed to be idly browsing the shelves, then glanced back at Kaede, pointing at the Yakuza heiress.

Kaede merely nodded.

“L-let’s just go.” she said, taking Tenko’s arm and leading her out the store.

* * *

 

“At least we don’t have to worry about where to sleep.” Kaede said as they walked past the gates of the Hotel Mirai.

“Mirai... _Future_...You think there’s any hidden meaning behind it?” Tenko wondered.

The first thing they saw were two rows of wooden cabins suspended over a pool of water. Mounted on the doors and mailboxes were the same pixelated faces from the report card.

It was here that they met another Ultimate. This one was an attractive women with short silver hair covering one of her green eyes. She wore a dark gray kimono with a spider web pattern on the right shoulder and left hip, tied with a black obi and white obi-jime cord. The look was completed by a black headband decorated with white flowers.

Tenko recognized her immediately.

“Oh my god, you’re **Kirumi Tojo** , the **Ultimate Traditional Dancer**!” she squealed, racing over to the woman and taking her hands.

“Oh my god, I am _such_ a fan! I just love your performances! You are just so beautiful and graceful and elegant and I almost saw you live once but I got sick so I couldn’t go but I watched it online and--”

“Uh, Tenko…” Kaede cut Tenko’s fangirl moment short by placing a hand on her shoulder.

Tenko blinked, then realized her close proximity and quickly stepped back, a luminescent blush creeping up her face.

“Oh, I-I’m sorry. I-I didn’t mean to get so close.” She stuttered.

Kirumi merely chuckled, seemingly unperturbed. 

“It is quite alright,” she said, “It is always a pleasure to meet a fan.”

They shared a brief introduction, with Tenko explaining to Kaede the extent of Kirumi’s fame, how hundreds pay thousands to see her dance performances, and how she’s even performed overseas. Tenko also explained Kaede’s amnesia to Kirumi, who again didn’t seem too bothered. After that, they turned to the subject of the cottages.

“The doors and windows are locked, and with the blinds lowered, it is impossible to even see inside.” Kirumi explained.

She proved this by going to her own cottage and trying the doorknob, which merely jiggled uselessly. Kaede and Tenko tried the same with theirs, but the results were the same.

“So, it’s safe to say that these rooms are meant for us.” Tenko said.

“Yet, there’s no way in. Why?” Kaede asked, “Why give us rooms then lock us out?”

“Who can say?” Kirumi said, “Perhaps there is something we need to do first before we can be granted access.”

“Like what?”

Kirumi’s eyes narrowed. “I am not sure. I suppose only time will tell.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ryoma Hoshi: Ultimate Mechanic  
> Tsumugi Shirogane: Ultimate Animator  
> Maki Harukawa: Ultimate Yakuza  
> Kirumi Tojo: Ultimate Traditional Dancer
> 
> I know Ryota wasn't a Remnant but just roll with me here.


	3. Prologue Part III

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay. I got caught up with other projects, anyway Kaede and Tenko meet more Ultimates.

After a few more words with Kirumi, Kaede and Tenko left the cottages.

Between them and the hotel building was a pool with several beach chairs, tables, and parasols strewn about.

It was a nice set up, Tenko thought. One she would not have minded being a part of had the circumstances been different.

There was a boy sitting on one of these chairs, singing and strumming on an acoustic guitar for a girl sitting right across from him. He had messy green hair and eyes, and wore a white dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows and a pair of black slacks. A black necktie hung loosely from his neck, and a silver chain hung from his leather belt. Silver rings decorated his fingers and similar piercings adorned his ears and one of his eyebrows.

The girl sitting near him had white hair, tan skin, and sea blue eyes. She seemed right at home on this island, wearing a frilly white bikini top, beaded jewelry, and blue jean shorts. Over that she wore a bright yellow raincoat and white sandals.

The girl noticed them first, and happily waved them over.

“Ya-ha! How are ya?” she called out.

“Oh...H-Hello…” Kaede said, the girl’s energy catching her off guard.

“I am **Angie Yonaga** , the **Ultimate Princess**!” the girl said, standing up and giving them a playful bow.

“Ultimate Princess?” Tenko asked.

“Yes,” Angie explained, “I am the princess of my home country, a tropical island not unlike this one.”

“I see...in that case, you wouldn’t happen to know where we are, do you?” Kaede asked.

Angie shook her head. “No, unfortunately, but I’m not worried. I’m sure Atua will guide me to the answer soon.”

“Atua?”

“The God of my island. He speaks to me and shows me what path to take. It was His guidance that helped me lead my people to prosperity.” Angie smiled, holding up her clasped hands.

“Nyahaha, isn’t He just divine?”

“Uh-huh…” Kaede chuckled nervously, not noticing Tenko’s eye twitch with every ‘He’.

“She certainly is devout, isn’t she?” the guitarist said, finally deciding to speak up.

“Atua wanted to hear Rantaro’s music and was not disappointed.” Angie said.

“Rantaro? Wait, are you-?”

“ **Ultimate Musician** , **Rantaro Amami**? Yep, that’s right. Nice to meet you.” the man said, giving a carefree smile and wave.

“Wow, I never thought I’d meet someone like you in person. I’m Kaede Akamatsu. I'm actually more into classical music, but my sister, Kaori, is a big fan of yours. I can’t tell you how many times I've had to deal with her blasting your music on her phone.” Kaede chuckled.

“Your sister has good taste.” Angie said, “Rantaro’s skills are simply divine. Even Atua is pleased.”

“Well, it’s nice to know that I pleased your god.” Rantaro said, though the awkward smile on his face said that he understood as much as they did, which was very little. He then turned to Tenko.

“What about you? Have you heard any…uh...”

He trailed off when he noticed Tenko’s frown.

“Oh, don’t mind Tenko. She’s just a little...uncomfortable around men.” Kaede said, patting the coach’s shoulder.

They shared quick introductions before Kaede and Tenko left for the hotel.

Right at they were about to walk in, they saw Kaito and Shuichi walk down the stairs from the second floor. Kaito was scowling and Shuichi had the bill of his cap pulled all the way down, but their moods quickly brightened when they saw the girls.

"Hey there, you two," Kaito smiled, "How's your exploration going?"

Kaede and Tenko gave a brief summary of the places they explored, the airport and the market, as well as the Ultimates they had met, Mechanic Ryoma, Animator Tsumugi, and Yakuza Maki. They left out Kirumi, Rantaro, and Angie, because according to Shuichi, the boys had already met those three.

"So there should be six Ultimates left for us to meet." Kaede said, checking the updated report card on her e-Book.

"Well, there's Kiyo and Miu inside, Kokichi and Kiibo upstairs..." Kaito said, counting his fingers.

"And Gonta and Himiko down the road." Shuichi finished. "There wasn't really anything important there. Just some locked buildings."

"Alright, we'll check those out while you two see the airport and market." Tenko grinned.

"Yeah, let's go, Shuichi! Let's meet the others so we can forget about that Kokichi!" Kaito declared, slamming his fists together.

"Huh? Did something happen, Kaito?" Kaede asked. "You two did look pretty upset when you came down."

Tenko stayed silent and crossed her arms. _'Kokichi...as in...no, it can't be...it better_ not _be...'_

"It's nothing," Shuichi waved his hands, "Its just that one of the Ultimates upstairs was a little..." he struggled for a moment to find the right word, "...disagreeable."

"That's an understatement. Little shit and his lies." Kaito grumbled.

_'Lies?...oh, dammit, it is...'_

"Word of advice: Don't buy that shortie's crap. See ya." With that, Kaito and Shuichi left, the former giving a wave to Angie and Rantaro as they passed.

 _'Believe me, you don't have to tell me twice.'_ Just thinking about it made Tenko's lips curl.

"Tenko, are you alright? You've got that scowl again."

Tenko turned to Kaede and threw on (what she hoped) was her most charming smile.

"Don't worry about, Kaede. Let's just move on." She said, opening the door to the hotel and holding it for the blonde.

The hotel lobby looked just as luxurious as it did outside.

On one side were several lounge chairs in between the reception desk and snack bar. On the other side were a set of arcade games stationed near the stairs to the restaurant.

There was a man sitting on one of the chairs while a girl played one of the arcade machines.

As soon as he noticed the girls, the man stood up and walked over.

He was a tall, lithe man with long black hair and gold eyes. He wore a dark green military-esque jacket and pants with a matching cap and black boots. His hands were covered in bandages, and a mask covered his nose and mouth. A chain dangled from the bill of his cap, and a similar locket hung from his neck.

But what really caught Tenko’s attention was the black bag slung over his shoulder. With it’s long, thin shape, it wasn’t hard to guess what was hidden inside, and once again, Tenko found herself moving in front of Kaede.

“Hello, I am **Korekiyo Shinguji** , but you may call me **Kiyo** . I am the **Ultimate Swordsman**.”

“Nice to meet you, I’m Kaede Akamatsu.”

“Tenko Chabashira. Ultimate Team Manager. Black belt in four different martial arts.”

Kaede frowned. “Tenko, do you do this with every-wait, really?”

Kiyo merely waved them off. “It is quite alright. I am aware that my appearance often leaves others suspicious of me, but I assure you, I have no ill intent, unlike some.”

He glanced away, and the girls followed his gaze to the girl playing on of the arcade games. With her back towards them, all they were able to see was her blond hair and pink jacket.

“The others upstairs were quite difficult as well, just to forewarn you.” Kiyo said, ending the conversation and walking out of the building.

With him gone, Kaede and Tenko decided to approach the girl at the machine. Right as they were about to get her attention.

“Aw, fuck yeah! That’s what I’m talkin’ about!!” she shouted, throwing her hands in the air.

“Uh, hi…”

“Gah! Don’t fucking sneak up on me, bitch!” the girl cried out, jumping back.

“We just met and you’ve already called me a bitch…” Tenko heard Kaede mutter under her breath.

There was a wild look to both the girl's long blonde hair and light blue eyes. She wore a pink hoodie over a white shirt, the top buttons undone to show over her...generous assets. She also wore a brown skirt with pink trim and brown leather boots. Adorning her hands were a pair of studded, fingerless leather gloves, and around her neck were a pair of brown and gold headphones.

She had quite the figure, Tenko couldn't help but notice, and she didn't seem afraid to show it. As Kaede gave the introductions, Tenko couldn't stop her eyes from wandering from the girl's exposed cleavage to her smooth, long legs.

_'Damn...'_

"Hey, take a picture, why don't ya?"

Tenko's eyes darted back up, and she blushed when she realized that the girl was scowling at her.

"W-what, n-no...t-that's not--I-I wasn't..." She stuttered, waving her hands.

The blonde then broke out into a loud laugh, spittle flying out of her mouth.

"I'm just fucking with ya! Of course you couldn't resist ogling a perfect bod like mine! No one can! Go on, get yourself and eyeful!"

Tenko's response was another round of stuttered denial, prompting Kaede to step in and take control.

"I'm Kaede Akamatsu, and this is the Ultimate Team Manager, Tenko Chabashira, and you are...?"

The girl stopped laughing and frowned. "What? You seriously don't know who I am?"

"I'm **Miu Iruma** , the **Ultimate Gamer** herself! My good looks and golden fingers are famous all over the nation!" she declared, pointing to herself. This declaration was followed by another obnoxious laugh.

Kaede turned to Tenko with a look of apprehension.

Tenko's only response was to pull out the towel hanging from her pocket and use it to wipe the spit of her face, before offering it to Kaede so she could do the same, and offer she didn't hesitate to accept.

"So, Kaeidiot, what's your lame-ass talent?" Miu asked suddenly.

"Oh, well...I actually can't remember..."

"Can't remember? Ahahahaha! It must be really lame-ass if you actually ended up forgetting it! Ahahahaha!!"

"Hey, there's no need to be rude!" Tenko snapped.

Miu visibly recoiled at the outburst.

"H-hey...d-d-don't get m-mad at m-me...I-I-I was j-just joking around..." she whimpered.

Again, Kaede and Tenko shared incredulous glances.

They decided to end the conversation with Miu there and walked up the stairs to the second floor. When they did, a particularly strange scene was waiting for them.

“Hey, can you fly? Can you? Can you?”

“I do not have a function like that! Now, please! Get off of me!”

There were two boys in the tropical styled restaurant, one riding the back of the other, apparently against his will.

The boy on top was rather small with black hair and purple eyes. He wore a white coat resembling a straightjacket with multicolored buttons and matching pants with straps hanging off the thighs. The look was completed by a black and white checkered scarf tied around his neck.

The boy he was on top of was an odd looking one. He was messy white hair, blue eyes, and an unusual grey pallor, with strange black lines going down his face. Instead of wearing clothes, his body seemed to be covered with metal plates painted white. Two rows of luminescent buttons went down his chest, giving the appearance of a double breasted coat. A high collar painted red covered his black neck, with a LCD strip going across it displaying various text. The only garment that seemed to be real cloth was a red apron tied around his waist.

At first, they thought that he was also wearing black gloves, only to realize that it seemed to be his natural skin.

While he was an oddity that had caught Kaede’s attention, Tenko’s focus was locked onto the dark-haired one on his back.

 _‘I knew it...it’s him...Ouma. Ugh, why is_ he _here?’_

Unaware of the girls’ presence, Ouma continued to ride the poor man’s back before finally surrendering.

“Fine, fine. I’ll get off now…” he grumbled.

“Thank you, my back was about to-woah!”

Using the odd-looking boy’s back as a springboard, Ouma leaped off, backflipping onto a nearby table with surprising grace as his companion stumbled to the floor.

“Woah, are you okay?” Kaede asked as she and Tenko rushed to his side and tried to help him up. He was incredibly heavy, they noticed. Much more than someone his size should weigh.

“Yes, thank you. I’m fine.” he said, standing back up and dusting himself off.

“I take it you are two are Ultimates as well. Hello, I am **K1-B0** , the **Ultimate Cook** , but please, call me **Kiibo**.” he said, his hands on his hips.

“Nice to meet you, uh...Kiibo. I’m Tenko Chabashira, the Ultimate Team Manager, and this is Kaede Akamatsu.”

“K1...B0...that’s an odd name--”

“Hey, no fair! I wanted to do my introductions first!” Ouma said. He jumped off the table, did a flip in the air, and landed on his knees next to Kiibo.

“I am-”

“He’s **Kokichi Ouma** , the **Ultimate Gymnast**.” Tenko said to Kaede, her face blank.

Kokichi scowled.

“Hey, it’s rude to interrupt people, you know. Besides, I’m not actually the Ultimate Gymnast. I’m actually the **Ultimate Supreme Leader**!”

...

“He’s the Ultimate Gymnast.” Tenko repeated. “Remember what Kaito said, that the Kokichi upstairs was a liar. Well, I know from experience that every word out of this little degenerate’s mouth is nothing but lies.”

Kokichi pouted childishly.

“It’s nice to see you again too, Ms. Ultimate Team Manager.” he said.

“I’m sorry, do you two already know each other?” Kiibo asked.

“We’ve met.” Tenko crossed her arms, “I actually worked with him for a short time.”

“And by short she means about...a little over four weeks.” Kokichi grinned, his hands folded behind his head.

“Just one month?” Kaede asked.

“Not just one month! They were four of the worst weeks of my life!” Tenko shouted. “It wasn’t my choice either. There was a scandal with his previous manager, so he needed a new one and came to me! At first I thought he was serious about improving and maintaining his skill, but no! This lazy, lying, sadistic degenerate male spent all his time goofing around and driving me absolutely crazy!”

“And yet I still won that competition. After that we went our separate ways. I have to give you credit though. Most trainers couldn’t even last one week with me, and yet you lasted four! You truly are worthy of the title of Ultimate, Tenky.”

Though his words were sincere, Kokichi’s tone was completely condescending.

“I never expected us to be reunited though. It must be fate! The universe telling that we were meant to be! That’s what my heart is telling me. What about you, Tenko, what’s your heart telling you?”

“Right now, my heart’s telling me to save everyone the trouble and throw you over the balcony, you annoying, little--”

“Waaaaahh!!” Kokichi cried, suddenly bursting into obviously fake tears, “You're so mean, Tenky!!”

“So, Kiibo, if you don’t mind me asking…” Kaede spoke up, placing herself between Kokichi and Tenko before things escalated any further, “It’s just, your name seems a little weird…”

“Ah, you see--”

“K1-B0 is a weird name...for a human at least,” As if a switch was turned, Kokichi’s tears vanished and were replaced with a sly smirk.

“But Kiiboy here is actually a robot.”

“A robot?!” the girl’s ask simultaneously.

Kiibo sighed, “Yes, it's true. I am a robot created by the brilliant Professor Idabashi, who raised me as his own son, but that does not mean that--”

“You see, he’s a killer robot who’s going to exterminate us all. He’s even working for the people who kidnapped us and trapped us here.”

“Not one word of that is true! I have had enough of your lies!” Kiibo glared, pointing at Kokichi.

“Look out! He’s gonna hit me with a rocket punch!” Kokichi flinched.

“I do not have that kind of function, but I do have a recording function, and I will take your robophobic claims to court!”

“Jeez, that’s it? Man, for a robot, you’re so boring.”

“You…”

“So, Kiibo, tell us,” Kaede spoke up again. “How did a robot like you become the Ultimate Cook?”

That seemed to be enough to distract Kiibo from Kokichi’s words. He smiled and placed his hands on his hips.

“Well, first of all, aside from my status as a robot, I am no different from the rest of you. I am a teenager with hopes, dreams and passions just like everyone else. In my case, it’s cooking. It all started when--”

“Say, do robots have dicks?”

“That is the fourth time you have asked me that! Also please stop interrupting me!”

“I didn’t hear a no~.”

Kaede stared with an awkward smile, while Tenko could only sigh.

“I see you’re still the annoying degenerate you were back then, Kokichi. You haven’t changed at all. If anything, you’ve gotten worse.”

“I could say the same to you. You’re still the same hot blooded misandrist who thinks she’s _so~ tough_ , right Tenky dear?”

“Don't call me that!!”

It took the combined efforts of Kaede and Kiibo to hold Tenko back from lunging at Kokichi, who merely laughed at her efforts. Kaede grabbed Tenko firmly by the bicep with both hands and practically dragged her down the stairs outside the hotel, which was no easy feat considering Tenko's strength (though the team manager eventually yielded to the amnesiac).

By the time they had reached the bottom, Tenko had finally calmed down.

“I’m sorry about that, Kaede. I know I can be a little...temperamental. I just...really hate him.” Tenko sighed.

“Don’t worry about it.” Kaede smiled, “To be honest, he was a little annoying. Why don’t we just check out those buildings Shuichi mentioned? That should take your mind off of it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Angie Yonaga: Ultimate Princess  
> Rantaro Amami: Ultimate Musician  
> Korekiyo Shinguji: Ultimate Swordsman  
> Miu Iruma: Ultimate Gamer  
> Kiibo: Ultimate Cook  
> Kokichi Ouma: Ultimate Gymnast
> 
> Also, I set up a poll so y'all can start voting on free time events, the link's on my Tumblr. Here's a link to that: https://ladypsycho13.tumblr.com/post/172929026637/free-time-events-in-im-still-breathing


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